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Ron Waksman

Publications and source records attributed to Ron Waksman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Volumetric intravascular ultrasound evidence that distal embolization during acute infarct intervention contributes to inadequate myocardial perfusion grade.

We studied 35 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction (MI) who were treated with direct infarct percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using standard angiographic (complete assessment of flow grade and blush grade) and pre- and post-PCI volumetric intravascular ultrasound analysis. Plaque reduction, which is evidence of distal embolization, contributes to inadequate tissue reperfusion in this lesion setting and supports the use of distal protection in the setting of an acute MI.

Aged↗

Repeat intracoronary radiation for recurrent in-stent restenosis in patients who failed intracoronary radiation.

BACKGROUND: Intracoronary radiation therapy (IRT) is the only proven treatment for in-stent restenosis (ISR). It is, however, associated with a significant failure rate. The present study evaluated the outcomes of patients who underwent repeat intracoronary radiation for recurrent ISR. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-one consecutive patients who failed a previous radiation treatment, presented with angina and angiographic evidence of ISR, and were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and repeat radiation to the same segment were studied. Twenty-five patients were treated with gamma radiation in a dose of 15 Gy, and 26 were treated with beta radiation doses of 18.3 to 23 Gy. The mean cumulative dose for this cohort was 39.5+/-11.9 Gy (range, 29 to 75.6 Gy). The outcomes of those patients were compared with outcomes of 299 patients who also failed initial radiation but were treated with repeat conventional PCI to a previously irradiated segment without repeat radiation. At 9 months after treatment, the repeat-IRT group had lower rates of target lesion revascularization (23.5% versus 54.6%; P<0.001) and major adverse cardiac events, including target vessel revascularization (29.4% versus 61.3%; P<0.001). At 9 months, patients with repeat IRT were free of angiographic and clinical events related to the radiation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Repeat gamma or beta radiation to treat failed IRT for ISR after conventional PCI is safe and effective at 9 months and should be considered as a therapeutic option for this difficult patient subset.

Angina Pectoris↗

Predictors of subacute stent thrombosis: results of a systematic intravascular ultrasound study.

BACKGROUND: Factors leading to subacute stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been well established. We assessed the pre- and post-PCI intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) characteristics of subacute stent thrombosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed 7484 consecutive patients without acute myocardial infarction who were treated with PCI and stenting and underwent IVUS imaging during the intervention. Twenty-seven (0.4%) had angiographically documented subacute closure <1 week after PCI (median time to subacute closure, 24 hours). Subacute closure lesions were compared with a control group (selected to be 3 times the abrupt closer group) matched by procedure date (within 6 months), age, gender, stable or unstable angina, lesion location, and additional treatment (balloon angioplasty or atherectomy). Postintervention IVUS did not identify a cause in 22% and did identify at least 1 cause for abrupt closure in 78% of patients (versus 33% in matched lesions, P=0.0002). In 48% of the patients, there were multiple causes in 48% (versus 3% in matched lesions, P<0.0001). Causes included dissection (17%), thrombus (4%), and tissue protrusion within the stent struts leading to lumen compromise lumen (4%). A total of 83% of patients with >1 of these abnormal morphologies also had reduced lumen dimensions post-PCI (final lumen <80% reference lumen). Preprocedural lesion characteristics were not different from matched lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Subacute stent thrombosis is infrequently related to the preintervention lesion characteristics. Inadequate postprocedure lumen dimensions, alone or in combination with other procedurally related abnormal lesion morphologies (dissection, thrombus, or tissue prolapse), contribute to this phenomenon.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

Intravascular ultrasound analysis of infarct-related and non-infarct-related arteries in patients who presented with an acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported diffuse destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We used intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to assess 78 coronary arteries (38 infarct-related arteries [IRAs] with culprit and nonculprit lesions and 40 non-IRAs) from 38 consecutive AMI patients. IVUS analysis included qualitative and quantitative measurements of reference and lesion external elastic membrane (EEM), lumen, and plaque plus media (P&M) area. Positive remodeling was defined as lesion/mean reference EEM >1.0. Culprit lesions were identified by a combination of ECG, wall motion abnormalities (ventriculogram or echocardiogram), scintigraphic perfusion defects, and coronary angiogram. Culprit lesions contained more thrombus (23.7% versus 3.4% in nonculprit IRA plaques and 3.1% in non-IRA plaques; P=0.0011). Culprit lesions were predominantly hypoechoic (63.2% versus 37.9% of nonculprit IRA plaques and 28.1% of non-IRA plaques; P=0.0022). Culprit lesions were longer (17.5+/-10.1, 9.8+/-4.0, and 10.3+/-5.7 mm, respectively; P<0.0001), had larger EEM area (15.0+/-6.0, 11.5+/-5.7, and 12.6+/-5.6 mm2, respectively; P=0.0353) and P&M area (13.0+/-6.0, 7.5+/-3.7, 9.3+/-4.3 mm2, respectively; P<0.0001), smaller lumens (2.0+/-0.9, 4.1+/-3.1, and 3.4+/-2.5 mm2, respectively; P=0.0009), and more positive remodeling (79.4%, 59.0%, and 50.8%, respectively; P=0.0155). The frequency of plaque rupture/dissection was greater in culprit, nonculprit IRA, and non-IRA plaques in AMI patients than in a control group of chronic stable angina patients with multivessel IVUS imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Culprit plaques have more markers of instability (thrombus, positive remodeling, and large plaque mass); however, these markers of instability are not typically found elsewhere. This suggests that the vascular event in AMI patients is determined by local pre-event lesion morphologies.

Angina Pectoris↗

Intravascular brachytherapy for native coronary ostial in-stent restenotic lesions.

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed the effects of vascular brachytherapy (VBT) on ostial in-stent restenosis (ISR). BACKGROUND: In-stent restenosis has a high recurrence rate after percutaneous reintervention. The recurrence rate of ostial ISR lesions and the impact of VBT remain unknown. METHODS: We evaluated 133 patients with native coronary ostial ISR from a pooled database of 990 patients enrolled in randomized VBT trials. Independent quantitative angiography was performed at baseline and follow-up in 45 gamma, 27 beta, and 61 placebo patients. RESULTS: Binary restenosis was significantly higher in placebo than radiated patients (75.4% vs. 17.8% in gamma vs. 22.2% in beta, p < 0.0001). The treatment effect of both gamma (odds ratio [OR] 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02 to 0.17) and beta VBT (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.31) was maintained after controlling for differences in baseline lesion length. Proximal and distal radiation edge restenosis rates were similar among the groups. Vascular brachytherapy of true aorto-ostial lesions (n = 34) was similarly beneficial: restenosis rates of placebo versus gamma or beta patients of 83.3% versus 6.7% versus 28.6%, p = 0.0002. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional treatment of ostial ISR is associated with a recurrence rate of over 75%. Vascular brachytherapy with either gamma or beta sources results in significant and similar reductions in restenosis compared with placebo. Similar benefits after VBT prevail in true aorto-ostial lesions.

Aorta↗

Catheter-based autologous bone marrow myocardial injection in no-option patients with advanced coronary artery disease: a feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of transendocardial delivery of autologous bone marrow (ABM) strategy in patients with severe symptomatic chronic myocardial ischemia not amenable to conventional revascularization. BACKGROUND: Transendocardial injection of ABM cells appears to enhance perfusion of ischemic porcine myocardium. METHODS: Ten patients underwent transendocardial injection of freshly aspirated and filtered unfractionated ABM using left ventricular electromechanical guidance. Twelve injections of 0.2 ml each were successfully delivered into ischemic noninfarcted myocardium pre-identified by single-photon emission computed tomography perfusion imaging. RESULTS: Autologous bone marrow injection was successful in all patients and was associated with no serious adverse effects; in particular, there was no arrhythmia, evidence of infection, myocardial inflammation, or increased scar formation. Two patients were readmitted for recurrent chest pain. At three months, Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina score significantly improved (3.1 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.94, p = 0.001), as well as stress-induced ischemia occurring within the injected territories (2.1 +/- 0.8 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.8, p < 0.001). Treadmill exercise duration, available in nine patients, increased, but the change was not significant (391 +/- 155 vs. 485 +/- 198, p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary clinical data indicating feasibility of catheter-based transendocardial delivery of ABM to ischemic myocardium.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Time course of stent endothelialization after intravascular radiation therapy in rabbit iliac arteries.

BACKGROUND: Late total occlusion after vascular brachytherapy (VBT) continues to be a serious complication. Delayed reendothelialization was suggested as a pivotal cause, but the time course for complete healing is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-two rabbit iliac arteries underwent stent implantation and were treated with gamma-radiation using 192Ir. The prescribed doses were 0 Gy (controls, n=24 arteries), 15 Gy (n=24), or 30 Gy (n=24) at 2 mm. Animals were killed at 1 month (n=24), 3 months (n=24), or 6 months (n=24) and were analyzed for histomorphometry or scanning electron microscopy. Intimal area was reduced after VBT at 3 months with 15 and 30 Gy (0.66+/-0.07 and 0.66+/-0.04 mm2, respectively) compared with controls (1.01+/-0.11 mm2, P<0.05) and at 6 months with 30 Gy (0.75+/-0.09 versus 1.28+/-0.26 mm2 in controls, P<0.01). Intimal area was similar at 6 months between 15 Gy and controls. At 1 month, 92+/-4% of the control stented segment was covered with endothelial cells, whereas only 37+/-4% and 37+/-8% was covered in the 15- and 30-Gy arteries, respectively. Similarly, at 3 and 6 months, there was a difference in the extent of reendothelialized areas (at 3 months, 95+/-2%, 32+/-12%, and 29+/-13%; and at 6 months, 98+/-2%, 40+/-8%, and 35+/-12% in control, 15-Gy, and 30-Gy arteries, respectively). Excess platelets and leukocytes were seen in irradiated arteries without complete coverage of endothelium. CONCLUSIONS: Reendothelialization after VBT is not completed at 6 months after VBT. Special care with prolonged antiplatelet therapy should be considered beyond that time point.

Animals↗

Intracoronary radiation therapy improves the clinical and angiographic outcomes of diffuse in-stent restenotic lesions: results of the Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis Trial for Long Lesions (Long WRIST) Studies.

BACKGROUND: The Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis Trial for long lesions (Long WRIST) was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of vascular brachytherapy for the treatment of diffuse in-stent restenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 120 patients with diffuse in-stent restenosis in native coronary arteries (lesion length, 36 to 80 mm) were randomized for either radiation with 192Ir with 15 Gy at 2 mm from the source axis or placebo. After enrollment, 120 additional patients with the same inclusion criteria were treated with 192Ir with 18 Gy and included in the Long WRIST High Dose registry. Antiplatelet therapy was initially prescribed for 1 month and was extended to 6 months in the last 60 patients of the Long WRIST High Dose registry. At 6 months, the binary angiographic restenosis rate was 73%, 45%, and 38% in the placebo, 15 Gy, and 18 Gy radiated groups, respectively (P<0.05). At 1 year, the primary clinical end point of major cardiac events was 63% in the placebo group and 42% in the radiated group with 15 Gy (P<0.05). The major cardiac event rate was further reduced with 18 Gy (22%; P<0.05 versus 15 Gy). Late thrombosis was 12%, 15%, and 9% in the placebo group, 15 Gy group with 1 month of antiplatelet therapy, and 18 Gy group with 6 months of antiplatelet therapy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular brachytherapy with 192Ir is safe and reduces the rate of recurrent restenosis in diffuse in-stent restenosis. The efficacy of vascular brachytherapy on angiographic and clinical outcomes is enhanced with a radiation dose of 18 Gy and prolonged antiplatelet therapy.

Brachytherapy↗